This book is a selection from Gossip Sweet and Sour and Malice in which Khushwant Singh gives you the the low down on people he has known and places he has visited. In these pages, you will be introduced to people like Mountbatten, Faiz, Shraddha Mata, P.C. Lal, Phoolan Devi and many others and you will travel to places as well known as Pakistan and Korea and as remote as Papua New Guinea. Irrepressible, incorrigibly provocative, perceptive Khushwant was never better.

'Balzac could not have done better' —The Financial Express In this sparkling collection of stories, India's best-known writer addresses some pertinent questions: Why do we believe in miracles? Can a horoscope guarantee the perfect wife? Is the Kamasutra a useful manual for newlyweds? Margaret Bloom arrives in Haridwar from New York to save her soul. But she soon discovers that there are temptations even on the banks of the holy Ganga. Madan Mohan Pandey, amateur astrologer and scholar of ancient Hindu texts, finds to his horror that his doe-like bride is not quite what he had expected. Pious Zora Singh, Pride of the Nation, rumoured to be a chaar sau bees and a womanizer, silences his detractors by earning the Bharat Ratna. Devi Lal makes his peace with a fickle God when his daughter-in-law delivers a son, following secret visits to the Peer Sahib's tomb. And Vijay Lall, emboldened by his miraculous escape from death, decides to act upon his silent obsession with Karuna...

In this anthology, which comprises some of Khushwant Singh's best writing, you can look forward to some talk of sex, a little of Scotch and much Scholarship. The collection attempts to mirror the author's concerns and passions-his love of nature, his anguish over the situation in Punjab, his interest in religions of the world and his scholarly research on the one into which he was born, Sikhism. The highlight of this book, however, is the expansive, autobiographical opening piece written in Khushwant's characteristically candid style and perhaps the most complete self-portrait he has yet painted.

Khushwant Singh, India S Most Widely-Read Columnist, Has Been A Keen Observer Of Life In India Its Politics, Economics, Religion, Habits, Customs, Events And Personalities. Notes On The Great Indian Circus Is A Chronicle Of The State Of The Nation As It Was And As It Is, And The Way It Is Going To Be. It Also Reflects The Indian Psyche The Way We Are. This Selection Brings Together The Best Of Khushwant Singh S Articles From A Wide Variety Of Magazines And Newspapers, And Documents His Inimitable Perceptions On Parliament, Filmstar Mps, Censorship And Communalism. Containing Pieces On Subjects Ranging From Kentucky Fried Chicken To The Kumbh Mela, The Golden Temple To The Assassination Of Rajiv Gandhi, Osho To Bhindranwale, And Pornography To Family Planning, This Is An Insightful, Candid And Provocative Collection.

Maangey Allah se bas itni dua hai RashidMain jo Urdu mein vaseeyat likhoon beta parh leyAll Rashid asks of Allah is just one small gift:If I write my will in Urdu, may my son be able to read it.Urdu, one of the most widely used languages in the subcontinent, is, sadly, dying a slow death in the land where it was born and where it flourished. This definitive collection spans over 200 years of Urdu poetry, celebrating well-known and relatively unknown poets alike. It is essential reading for all who love Urdu verse and for all looking for the ideal introduction.

Recently separated from his nagging, ill-tempered wife of thirteen years, millionaire businessman Mohan Kumar decides to reinvent his life. Convinced that 'lust is the true foundation of love', he embarks on an audacious plan: he will advertise for paid lady companions to share his bed and his life. Thus begins his journey of easy, unbridled sexuality in the company of some remarkable women. There is Sarojini Bharadwai, the demure professor from small-town Haryana who surprises Mohan with her ardour and sexual energy; Molly Gomes, the free-spirited masseuse from Goa, mistress of the sensual impulse; and Susanthika Goonatilleke, the diminutive seductress from Sri Lanka. After each affair ends and before the next begins, Mohan finds solace in the practiced charms of his obliging maid, Dhanno, and in the memories of his first lovers: the American Jessica Browne, to whom he lost his virginity, and the Pakistani Yasmeen Wanchoo, who brought him the heady passion of an older woman....

Instead of entering into a pointless debate on whether or not God exists, it is more important to bear in mind that belief in the existence of God has little bearing on making a person a good or a bad citizen. One can be a saintly person without believing in God or a detestable villain when believing in Him. In my personalized religion, there is NO GOD! Khushwant Singh, over the decades, has built up a reputation for coming up with something new and controversial in each book, and he does not disappoint his readers this time. He begins with a chapter on the "need for a new religion–without God," in which he questions the relevance of God. He then moves on to describe how religion has proved to be more harmful than beneficial and, in the process, debunks astrologers and the breed of so-called "godmen"; however, he is not dismissive of religion. Through his lucid writing, he brings out the beauty and significance of holy books such as the Bhagvad Gita, the Quran, and the...

An anthology of Khushwant Singh's best writings on his favorite subjects, Women, Sex, Love and Lust is at once witty, informative, thought-provoking and flagrant. Definitely a book you can't afford to miss! If you are looking for answers to eternal questions like which came first – love or lust, or debates pertaining to celibacy, chastity or arranged marriages, Khushwant Singh delivers his unique exposé. Whether he is analysing the fine dividing line between obscenity, pornography and erotica, describing sex from 'Chaturbhani' (200-350 B.C.) or his ideas of a composite Indian woman, Khushwant holds the reader's attention effortlessly. But that isn't all – years before terms such as 'gender issues' or 'gender divide' became popular, he was writing, thinking and sharing his views on them. His deliberations reveal an unexpected side to Khushwant . . . in these pages you'll also find a rare glimpse of Khushwant the feminist. Women, Sex, Love and Lust abounds with Indian...

The bestseller Khushwant Singh Selects Best Indian Short Stories - Volume I, offering the finest stories by India's master storytellers... The Indian short story is extraordinary in its ability to stick to the traditional rules of the craft and still demonstrate remarkable originality. It revolves around a limited number of characters, confines itself in time and space, and has a well-plotted narrative that drives its central theme. Within the traditional framework, however, creativity flowers, and what emerges is a story that is marked with freshness and imagination. This volume is chock-full with such stories, written by authors well known in their regional languages as well as those who made names for themselves in English literary circles. Carefully selected by Khushwant Singh, India's literary giant, these pieces represent the best of Indian writing from around the country. Contributors include - M.J. Akbar, Mulk Raj Anand, Kabir Bedi, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Margaret Bhatty,...

I would like to be remembered as someone who made people smile.' One of the great icons of our time, Khushwant Singh, 95, is a man of contradictions. An agnostic who's well-versed in the holy scriptures; a vocal champion of free speech who supported the Emergency; a 'dirty old man' who sees 'the world in a grain of sand and beauty in a wild flower'. Born in 1915 in pre-Partition Punjab, Khushwant Singh has been witness to almost all the major events in modern Indian history and has known most of the figures who have shaped it. In a career spanning over six decades as writer, editor and journalist, his views have been provocative and controversial, but they have also been profound, deeply perceptive and always compelling. Khushwant Singh has never been less than honest. In Absolute Khushwant, India's grand old man of letters tells us about his life, his loves and his work. He writes on happiness, faith and honesty. And, for the first time, about his successes and failures, his...

An exclusive collection of 40 outstanding stories from 17 regions of India – translated and made accessible to Englishspeaking readers. Soaked in the flavours and colours of its region, each story smacks of its unique culture. This anthology traverses through states as farflung as Kashmir and Tamil Nadu, mapping out our multilingual, multicultural land and celebrating its fascinating diversity. This anthology is a virtual canvas of human emotions. Its pages throb with everything primal to human nature: fear, angst, joy, love, lust and longing. A must read for those who wish to understand India better.